Wagon-box bracket.



F. J. FARDON.

WAGON BOX BRACKET. AAAAAAA TioN mum APILB, 1910.

986,91 3. Patented Mar. 14, 1911;

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FRED J. FARDON, OF GENEVA, OHIO.

WAGON-BOX BRACKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14-, 1911.

Application filed April 6, 1910. Serial No. 553,729.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED J. FARDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vagon-Box B 'ackets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in brackets for wagon boxes and is particularly applicable to that class of wagon boxes wherein the sides of the box are each formed of two sections the lower of which is stationary and the upper of which is hinged to the lower and capable of angular adjustment to permit the box to be converted into a hay rack, stock: wagon or the like.

One object of the invention is the provision of a bracket including a supporting bar the opposite ends of which are loosely connected to the opposite end portions of the side sections so that when the upper side section is at an angle to the lower side section and the wagon passes over ruts or uneven roads the upper section will be permitted to yield upwardly and, inwardly, thus increasing the life of the parts beyond similar devices of this type wherein hinges or pivot pins are employed to connect the parts.

Another object is the provision of a con struction whereby the upper section of the box will be securely held against downward and outward movements in any of its adjusted positions.

WVith these and other objects in view, which will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification :-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of the side sections of a wagon box showing my improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional end View taken through the side sections of a wagon box showing my device in end elevation.

Similar numerals of reference are em ployed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The side sections are designated by the numerals 5 and (S and connecting the said side sections is a hinge, the upper leaf of which is designated by the numeral 7 and corresponds approximately to the width of the upper section (3, and the lower leaf is designated by the numeral 8 and is substantially the same in length as the upper leaf, and like the latter is fixedly secured to the outer face of the box. The upper end of the lower leaf is provided with a hook 9 which straddles the upper side of the lower sec tion a and serves to strengthen the parts.

The bracket forming one part of the subject matter of the present invention comprises a slide bar designated in general by the numeral 10. This member is provided for the major portion of its length with an oblong slot 11 which receives a laterally ex tending stud 12 arranged on the medial portion of the lower leaf 8, and threadable onto the free end of the stud 12 is an adjusting screw 13 to bind on the slide bar and serving to clamp the latter to the lower leaf 8. The slide bar 10 is somewhat less in length than the length of the lower leaf 8 and its lower end. terminates in an elongated loop 1 1. the long axis of which is parallel. with the length of the bar 10 and the outer side of which is spaced from and parallel with the outer surface of the slide bar 10.

Passing through the upper side portion of the upper section 6 is a bolt 15, the free end of which extends through an opening in the upper end portion of the upper leaf 7 and terminates in a hook 16 the extremity of which bears on the leaf 7, whereby an eye is provided. Arranged within the loop 141: at the lower end of the slide bar 101's a link 17. A connection between the link and eye 16 is established by means of a brace rod 18, the opposite ends of which are provided with eyes for the reception of the link and eye 16. The parts are so proportioned that when the slide bar has been moved upwardly until the end of the slot 11. bears on the stud 12 and the upper side section 0 is in a ver tical plane with the lower side section 5, the link 17 will extend vertically downward and the brace rod 18 lie in a vertical plane, where by outward movement of the upper section 6 will be positively prevented. \Vhen the clamp screw 13 is loosened however, and the upper section 6 forced outwardly, the slide bar will permit the upper section to move outwardly to the required distance after which the clamp screw is again tightened. It will be observed when the parts are in these positions that outward movement of the upper section will be positively prevented, while the upward movement of the same will be permitted owing to the linkl'Z. By permitting this upward movement the life of the device will be considerably lengthened since it will be obvious when the wagon is passing over uneven roads that the yielding effect will cause less strain on the upper section which would be impossible if hinges or pivot pins were employed to unite the brace rod with the hinge.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a device which is comparatively simple in structure, and inexpensive in manufacture, embodying few parts and these so arranged that the danger of derangement will be reduced to a minimum.

I claim The combination with a wagon box each side of which comprises an upper and lower section, and a hinge uniting said sections; of a bracket including a brace bar pivotally secured at its upper end to the upper leaf of said hinge, a vertically disposed bar adjustably secured on the lower leaf of said hinge and provided at its lower end portion with a loop, and a chain link connection between the said loop and lower end of the brace bar, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED J. FARDON.

lVitnesses LORENTUS I. JACKSON, MART O. GILBERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

